NASCAR Joins iRacing Shakeup
NASCAR is making a historic iRacing move: for the first time in 14 years oval fields will feature four manufacturers, with the NextGen Chevy Camaro ZL1 and a RAM Truck now in rotation on ovals — a notable shift for sim‑series parity and visuals. Fans are already debating whether the series has drifted toward pricier sports‑car aesthetics and how that affects short‑track handling and intermediate performance. (x.com) (x.com)
iRacing published a development update on February 27, 2026 that previewed Season 2 and outlined a multi‑car rollout alongside a broad physics revision across several classes. (iracing.com) The Season 2 initial release notes were posted March 9, 2026 and list targeted visual updates to the Cup Series Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, including revised front body panels tuned for appearance and camera‑distance performance. (support.iracing.com) The platform added the Ram 1500 NASCAR Craftsman Truck to its Truck Series lineup, a change covered widely in the sim community and described by iRacing as moving forward pending final approvals. (moparinsiders.com) As part of the transition to the new build, iRacing moved the Gen‑1 NASCAR model into Legacy status and issued credits to recent Gen‑1 purchasers to offset that shift. (ocracing.com) Season 2 also introduces the Audi RS3 LMS Gen2 TCR and includes circuit work for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg along with overhauls at Barber Motorsports Park, Lanier, Langley and USA International Speedway. (racesimcentral.net) iRacing highlighted community scale in its briefing — citing Daytona 24 metrics of 104 total splits, more than 6,000 registered teams and over 3.5 million laps completed — while confirming paint‑scheme and setup updates across multiple NASCAR ladder cars with the Season 2 release. (iracing.com)
